


A Nudge in the Right Direction

by mithrel



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Blanket Permission, M/M, Podfic Welcome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-06-25
Updated: 2009-06-25
Packaged: 2017-11-11 00:06:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/472236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mithrel/pseuds/mithrel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Morgana and Gwen play matchmaker.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Nudge in the Right Direction

“Have you noticed Arthur?” Morgana asked Gwen one day.

Gwen looked up from where she was mending one of Morgana’s cloaks. “What about him?”

“He’s completely head over heels in love with Merlin.”

Gwen smiled. “Merlin’s just as bad, mooning over him all the time. It’s kind of sweet, really.”

“Do you think they’re–” Morgana left the thought unfinished.

“I don’t think so. If they are, Merlin hasn’t said anything.”

“They might nor even know.”

“What do you mean? Neither of them are being exactly subtle. How could they not know?”

Morgana shook her head. “This is Arthur and Merlin we’re talking about. Arthur’s macho–”

“And Merlin’s oblivious,” Gwen finished. “You’re right, they might not know.”

Morgana got a mischievous glint in her eye. “Want to play matchmaker?”

***

“A _picnic_ , honestly!” Arthur complained. He hadn’t stopped grumbling since Morgana told him she wanted to go out two days ago. “And why _I_ have to act as chaperone...”

“It might be more fun than you think,” Merlin said, from where he rode next to him. “It’s been ages since I went on a picnic.”

“Oh, cheer up, Arthur!” Morgana commanded. “We’re out here to enjoy ourselves, not listen to your whingeing!”

Arthur glowered at her, but shut up.

They found a clearing in the wood, and stopped. Merlin tied up the horses, while Gwen took the blanket and food and set them up.

The meadow they were in was quite pleasant, with a breeze blowing through it, and flowers dotted throughout. Morgana picked some, and braided them into a garland, which she offered to Arthur.

He gave her a look as though the flowers were something particularly noxious. She sighed, and gave it to Merlin instead.

He put it on, slightly crooked. Arthur shot Morgana an annoyed glance, then he looked at Merlin and his eyes softened. He reached out to straighten the garland.

All through lunch, Merlin and Arthur kept sneaking glances at each other, and Morgana and Gwen were hard-pressed to keep the smiles off their faces.

“This isn’t so bad, is it?” Merlin asked Arthur, licking gravy off his fingers.

“What?” Arthur asked, and Gwen nudged Morgana. “Oh. Well, I suppose it’s not too terrible. If there’s nothing better to do.”

“He’s hopeless, isn’t he?” Gwen asked Merlin. “He’ll never admit he’s enjoying himself.”

“Of course not. If he did, that would mean I’m right, and I’m never right,” Merlin grinned.

“If you two are quite finished,” Arthur said icily, and Merlin and Gwen grinned at each other.

When they’d finished, Merlin and Gwen cleaned up, and Morgana stood up from the blanket. “It’s very nice around here. I’m going to take a look around.”

“I’ll come with you,” Gwen offered.

“I don’t think you girls should go off alone–”

“Oh, really, Arthur, you should know by now that I can take care of myself. Besides, we’re only a couple of leagues from the city. It’s perfectly safe.”

“There are still wild animals,” Arthur pointed out.

“I don’t think so. You and your band of butchers roam through here so often I doubt if there’s anything larger than a rabbit left alive.”

Merlin snorted and Arthur glared at him. “Fine,” he said with bad grace. “Just be back before sunset.”

“Yes, my lord,” Morgana replied mockingly, and then she and Gwen disappeared into the trees.

“That woman is just–” Arthur flopped down on the blanket.

“She’s right, you know.”

“Excuse me?” Arthur propped himself up on an elbow to look at Merlin.

“Morgana can take care of herself. She’s almost as good as you are with a sword. Remember Ealdor?”

Arthur sighed. “I suppose so. But, really, I don’t know what’s gotten into her. Flower garlands?”

The garland Merlin was wearing had been knocked askew again. He reached up to straighten it, looking self-conscious. “Maybe she just wanted to relax.”

“Maybe,” Arthur conceded doubtfully.

“She and Gwen have been whispering together a lot lately. I wonder what that’s about.”

“Just some bit of girlish gossip, no doubt.”

“Do you really dislike Morgana?” Merlin asked him, lying down next to him on the blanket.

“No, not really. Though she’s usually more sensible than this.”

“What’s not sensible about a picnic?” Merlin wanted to know.

“Less frivolous, then.”

“You need to be frivolous more often,” Merlin said seriously.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve got all these duties and responsibilities. You need to spend some time enjoying yourself.”

“Oh, yes, because sitting in a field is _so_ enjoyable!”

“I like it,” Merlin said quietly.

“You would.” But the tone of his voice was teasing, and Merlin just laughed.

They didn’t say anything for awhile, and Arthur found his thoughts turning to Merlin. It really wasn’t so bad, lying here with him. Even if he didn’t dare do anything.

A hand suddenly found its way into his, and he whipped his head around to stare at Merlin, who looked horrified and pulled his hand away. “I’m sorry!”

“Why did you do that?”

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking, I–”

“Merlin,” he cut him off, “Don’t apologise.”

Merlin shut up, and, looking over, Arthur saw his expression was shuttered.

He sighed, deciding to hell with propriety, to hell with his image, to hell with his father, and leaned over and kissed Merlin.

Merlin’s eyes widened in shock, but he kissed him back, his hand fluttering to rest on his neck.

***

“What do you think is going on?” Gwen asked Morgana, as they headed back to the clearing.

“I don’t know. Maybe nothing. We can go and see.”

They slipped to the edge of the meadow and looked in.

Arthur and Merlin were kissing.

Morgana smiled. “Let’s give them a bit more time.”

Gwen nodded and they slipped back into the forest before they were noticed.

***

When they rode back at sunset, Arthur and Merlin were both wearing garlands, and Gwen and Morgana were congratulating themselves on a job well done.


End file.
